Out of love and concern for the truth, and with the object of eliciting it, the following heads will be the subject of a public discussion at Wittenberg under the presidency of the reverend father, Martin Luther, Augustinian, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and duly appointed Lecturer on these subjects in that place. e re!uests that whoever cannot be present personally to debate the "atter orally will do so in absence in writing. #.When our Lord and Master, $esus %hrist, said &'epent&, e called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. (.The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacra"ent of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as ad"inistered by the clergy. ).*et its "eaning is not restricted to repentance in one+s heart, for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various "orti-cations of the .esh. /.As long as hatred of self abides 0i.e. true inward repentance1 the penalty of sin abides, vi2., until we enter the 3ingdo" of heaven. 4.The pope has neither the will nor the power to re"it any penalties beyond those i"posed either at his own discretion or by canon law. 5.The pope hi"self cannot re"it guilt, but only declare and con-r" that it has been re"itted by 6od, or, at "ost, he can re"it it in cases reserved to his discretion. 78cept for these cases, the guilt re"ains untouched. 9.6od never re"its guilt to anyone without, at the sa"e ti"e, "a3ing hi" hu"bly sub"issive to the priest, is representative. :.The penitential canons apply only to "en who are still alive, and, according to the canons the"selves, none applies to the dead. ;.Accordingly, the oly Spirit, acting in the person of the pope, "anifests grace to us, by the fact that the papal regulations always cease to apply at death, or in any hard case. #<. =t is a wrongful act, due to ignorance, when priests retain the canonical penalties on the dead in purgatory. ##. When canonical penalties were changed and "ade to apply to purgatory, surely it would see" that tares were sown while the bishops were asleep. #(. =n for"er days, the canonical penalties were i"posed, not after, but before absolution was pronounced, and were intended to be tests of true contrition. #). >eath puts an end to all the clai"s of the %hurch, even the dying are already dead to the canon laws, and are no longer bound by the". #/. >efective piety or love in a dying person is necessarily acco"panied by great fear, which is greatest where the piety or love is least. #4. This fear or horror is su?cient in itself, whatever else "ight be said, to constitute the pain of purgatory, since it approaches very closely to the horror of despair. #5. There see"s to be the sa"e di@erence between hell, purgatory, and heaven as between despair, uncertainty, and assurance. #9. Of a truth, the pains of souls in purgatory ought to be abated, and charity ought to be proportionately increased. #:. Moreover, it does not see" proved, on any grounds of reason or Scripture, that these souls are outside the state of "erit, or unable to grow in grace. #;. Aor does it see" proved to be always the case that they are certain and assured of salvation, even if we are very certain ourselves. (<. Therefore the pope, in spea3ing of the plenary re"ission of all penalties, does not "ean &all& in the strict sense, but only those i"posed by hi"self. (#. ence those who preach indulgences are in error when they say that a "an is absolved and saved fro" every penalty by the pope+s indulgences. ((. =ndeed, he cannot re"it to souls in purgatory any penalty which canon law declares should be su@ered in the present life. (). =f plenary re"ission could be granted to anyone at all, it would be only in the cases of the "ost perfect, i.e. to very few. (/. =t "ust therefore be the case that the "ajor part of the people are deceived by that indiscri"inate and highBsounding pro"ise of relief fro" penalty. (4. The sa"e power as the pope e8ercises in general over purgatory is e8ercised in particular by every single bishop in his bishopric and priest in his parish. (5. The pope does e8cellently when he grants re"ission to the souls in purgatory on account of intercessions "ade on their behalf, and not by the power of the 3eys 0which he cannot e8ercise for the"1. (9. There is no divine authority for preaching that the soul .ies out of the purgatory i""ediately the "oney clin3s in the botto" of the chest. (:. =t is certainly possible that when the "oney clin3s in the botto" of the chest avarice and greed increase, but when the church o@ers intercession, all depends in the will of 6od. (;. Who 3nows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redee"ed in view of what is said of St. Severinus and St. CascalD 0AoteE Caschal =, pope :#9B(/. The legend is that he and Severinus were willing to endure the pains of purgatory for the bene-t of the faithful1. )<. Ao one is sure of the reality of his own contrition, "uch less of receiving plenary forgiveness. )#. One who bona -de buys indulgence is a rare as a bona -de penitent "an, i.e. very rare indeed. )(. All those who believe the"selves certain of their own salvation by "eans of letters of indulgence, will be eternally da"ned, together with their teachers. )). We should be "ost carefully on our guard against those who say that the papal indulgences are an inesti"able divine gift, and that a "an is reconciled to 6od by the". )/. For the grace conveyed by these indulgences relates si"ply to the penalties of the sacra"ental &satisfactions& decreed "erely by "an. )4. =t is not in accordance with %hristian doctrines to preach and teach that those who buy o@ souls, or purchase confessional licenses, have no need to repent of their own sins. )5. Any %hristian whatsoever, who is truly repentant, enjoys plenary re"ission fro" penalty and guilt, and this is given hi" without letters of indulgence. )9. Any true %hristian whatsoever, living or dead, participates in all the bene-ts of %hrist and the %hurch, and this participation is granted to hi" by 6od without letters of indulgence. ):. *et the pope+s re"ission and dispensation are in no way to be despised, for, as already said, they proclai" the divine re"ission. );. =t is very di?cult, even for the "ost learned theologians, to e8tol to the people the great bounty contained in the indulgences, while, at the sa"e ti"e, praising contrition as a virtue. /<. A truly contrite sinner see3s out, and loves to pay, the penalties of his sins, whereas the very "ultitude of indulgences dulls "en+s consciences, and tends to "a3e the" hate the penalties. /#. Capal indulgences should only be preached with caution, lest people gain a wrong understanding, and thin3 that they are preferable to other good wor3sE those of love. /(. %hristians should be taught that the pope does not at all intend that the purchase of indulgences should be understood as at all co"parable with the wor3s of "ercy. /). %hristians should be taught that one who gives to the poor, or lends to the needy, does a better action than if he purchases indulgences. //. Gecause, by wor3s of love, love grows and a "an beco"es a better "an, whereas, by indulgences, he does not beco"e a better "an, but only escapes certain penalties. /4. %hristians should be taught that he who sees a needy person, but passes hi" by although he gives "oney for indulgences, gains no bene-t fro" the pope+s pardon, but only incurs the wrath of 6od. /5. %hristians should be taught that, unless they have "ore than they need, they are bound to retain what is only necessary for the up3eep of their ho"e, and should in no way s!uander it on indulgences. /9. %hristians should be taught that they purchase indulgences voluntarily, and are not under obligation to do so. /:. %hristians should be taught that, in granting indulgences, the pope has "ore need, and "ore desire, for devout prayer on his own behalf than for ready "oney. /;. %hristians should be taught that the pope+s indulgences are useful only if one does not rely on the", but "ost har"ful if one loses the fear of 6od through the". 4<. %hristians should be taught that, if the pope 3new the e8actions of the indulgenceB preachers, he would rather the church of St. Ceter were reduced to ashes than be built with the s3in, .esh, and bones of the sheep. 4#. %hristians should be taught that the pope would be willing, as he ought if necessity should arise, to sell the church of St. Ceter, and give, too, his own "oney to "any of those fro" who" the pardonB "erchants conjure "oney. 4(. =t is vain to rely on salvation by letters of indulgence, even if the co""issary, or indeed the pope hi"self, were to pledge his own soul for their validity. 4). Those are ene"ies of %hrist and the pope who forbid the word of 6od to be preached at all in so"e churches, in order that indulgences "ay be preached in others. 4/. The word of 6od su@ers injury if, in the sa"e ser"on, an e!ual or longer ti"e is devoted to indulgences than to that word. 44. The pope cannot help ta3ing the view that if indulgences 0very s"all "atters1 are celebrated by one bell, one pageant, or one cere"ony, the gospel 0a very great "atter1 should be preached to the acco"pani"ent of a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred cere"onies. 45. The treasures of the church, out of which the pope dispenses indulgences, are not su?ciently spo3en of or 3nown a"ong the people of %hrist. 49. That these treasures are not te"poral are clear fro" the fact that "any of the "erchants do not grant the" freely, but only collect the". 4:. Aor are they the "erits of %hrist and the saints, because, even apart fro" the pope, these "erits are always wor3ing grace in the inner "an, and wor3ing the cross, death, and hell in the outer "an. 4;. St. Laurence said that the poor were the treasures of the church, but he used the ter" in accordance with the custo" of his own ti"e. 5<. We do not spea3 rashly in saying that the treasures of the church are the 3eys of the church, and are bestowed by the "erits of %hrist. 5#. For it is clear that the power of the pope su?ces, by itself, for the re"ission of penalties and reserved cases. 5(. The true treasure of the church is the oly gospel of the glory and the grace of 6od. 5). =t is right to regard this treasure as "ost odious, for it "a3es the -rst to be the last. 5/. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is "ost acceptable, for it "a3es the last to be the -rst. 54. Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets which, in for"er ti"es, they used to -sh for "en of wealth. 55. The treasures of the indulgences are the nets which toBday they use to -sh for the wealth of "en. 59. The indulgences, which the "erchants e8tol as the greatest of favours, are seen to be, in fact, a favourite "eans for "oneyB getting. 5:. Aevertheless, they are not to be co"pared with the grace of 6od and the co"passion shown in the %ross. 5;. Gishops and curates, in duty bound, "ust receive the co""issaries of the papal indulgences with all reverence. 9<. Gut they are under a "uch greater obligation to watch closely and attend carefully lest these "en preach their own fancies instead of what the pope co""issioned. 9#. Let hi" be anathe"a and accursed who denies the apostolic character of the indulgences. 9(. On the other hand, let hi" be blessed who is on his guard against the wantonness and license of the pardonB"erchant+s words. 9). =n the sa"e way, the pope rightly e8co""unicates those who "a3e any plans to the detri"ent of the trade in indulgences. 9/. =t is "uch "ore in 3eeping with his views to e8co""unicate those who use the prete8t of indulgences to plot anything to the detri"ent of holy love and truth. 94. =t is foolish to thin3 that papal indulgences have so "uch power that they can absolve a "an even if he has done the i"possible and violated the "other of 6od. 95. We assert the contrary, and say that the pope+s pardons are not able to re"ove the least venial of sins as far as their guilt is concerned. 99. When it is said that not even St. Ceter, if he were now pope, could grant a greater grace, it is blasphe"y against St. Ceter and the pope. 9:. We assert the contrary, and say that he, and any pope whatever, possesses greater graces, vi2., the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as is declared in = %orinthians #( HE(:I. 9;. =t is blasphe"y to say that the insignia of the cross with the papal ar"s are of e!ual value to the cross on which %hrist died. :<. The bishops, curates, and theologians, who per"it assertions of that 3ind to be "ade to the people without let or hindrance, will have to answer for it. :#. This unbridled preaching of indulgences "a3es it di?cult for learned "en to guard the respect due to the pope against false accusations, or at least fro" the 3een criticis"s of the laity. :(. They as3, e.g.E Why does not the pope liberate everyone fro" purgatory for the sa3e of love 0a "ost holy thing1 and because of the supre"e necessity of their soulsD This would be "orally the best of all reasons. Meanwhile he redee"s innu"erable souls for "oney, a "ost perishable thing, with which to build St. Ceter+s church, a very "inor purpose. :). AgainE Why should funeral and anniversary "asses for the dead continue to be saidD And why does not the pope repay, or per"it to be repaid, the benefactions instituted for these purposes, since it is wrong to pray for those souls who are now redee"edD :/. AgainE Surely this is a new sort of co"passion, on the part of 6od and the pope, when an i"pious "an, an ene"y of 6od, is allowed to pay "oney to redee" a devout soul, a friend of 6od, while yet that devout and beloved soul is not allowed to be redee"ed without pay"ent, for love+s sa3e, and just because of its need of rede"ption. :4. AgainE Why are the penitential canon laws, which in fact, if not in practice, have long been obsolete and dead in the"selves,Jwhy are they, toBday, still used in i"posing -nes in "oney, through the granting of indulgences, as if all the penitential canons were fully operativeD :5. AgainE since the pope+s inco"e toBday is larger than that of the wealthiest of wealthy "en, why does he not build this one church of St. Ceter with his own "oney, rather than with the "oney of indigent believersD :9. AgainE What does the pope re"it or dispense to people who, by their perfect repentance, have a right to plenary re"ission or dispensationD ::. AgainE Surely a greater good could be done to the church if the pope were to bestow these re"issions and dispensations, not once, as now, but a hundred ti"es a day, for the bene-t of any believer whatever. :;. What the pope see3s by indulgences is not "oney, but rather the salvation of souls, why then does he suspend the letters and indulgences for"erly conceded, and still as e?cacious as everD ;<. These !uestions are serious "atters of conscience to the laity. To suppress the" by force alone, and not to refute the" by giving reasons, is to e8pose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their ene"ies, and to "a3e %hristian people unhappy. ;#. =f therefore, indulgences were preached in accordance with the spirit and "ind of the pope, all these di?culties would be easily overco"e, and indeed, cease to e8ist. ;(. Away, then, with those prophets who say to %hrist+s people, &Ceace, peace,& where in there is no peace. ;). ail, hail to all those prophets who say to %hrist+s people, &The cross, the cross,& where there is no cross. ;/. %hristians should be e8horted to be 2ealous to follow %hrist, their ead, through penalties, deaths, and hells. ;4. And let the" thus be "ore con-dent of entering heaven through "any tribulations rather than through a false assurance of peace.
(Oxford Theology and Religion Monographs) Brant, Jonathan - Paul Tillich and The Possibility of Revelation Through Film - A Theoretical Account Grounded by Empirical Research Into The e